CII expresses sorrow; offer aid to quake-hit

The Confederation of Indian Industry has expressed deep anguish and concern over the massive earthquake which rocked Gujarat on January 26, leaving a trail of mass-scale destruction of property and lives.

The CII is assisting in the relief operations and has requested its entire membership to contribute in cash and kind for the earthquake victims.

The CII has discussed strategies with the government to tackle the crisis in Gujarat. As an immediate measure, the CII is sending 20,000 blankets and medicines to the earthquake victims, a media release from the confederation said.

Even though there has not been much damage to major industrial units in Gujarat, the consequence by way of the lives lost would impact the units and many employees would have been a victim of the tragedy, it added. The normal operations of the industrial units would be hit because of workers inability to get back to work for at least two more weeks, the release added.

The confederation has stated that even though large plants have not suffered much damage, several corporate buildings in Ahmedabad have been impacted because of the earthquake. The exact damage, according to CII, would be difficult to estimate due to the breakdown of communication services in the affected areas.